Bill supports rural Minnesota maternity services

(ABC 6 News) – More mothers are dying due to complications from childbirth and pregnancy in the United States each year. A bill by U.S. Sen. Tina Smith from Minnesota was just signed into law and hopes to address that problem.

It’s called the Moms Act and will direct a total of $40 million in grants for the next five years to rural healthcare providers so that they can expand their maternity services.

The bill will also expand telehealth capabilities for rural doctors.

"I have had conversations with moms in Minnesota who said boy what a difference it makes that I don’t have to travel a long distance to get that prenatal care. It supports rural providers in getting them additional resources and training," Sen. Smith said.

It will also direct the CDC to do more research on maternal mortality and how social and cultural backgrounds affects it.